December 2009 Archives

It's my last day in the office this year (I know - what a part-timer!) so I thought it might be worth taking stock of what's been an extraordinary time for the adult care sector.

I've reported on the subject since 2003 and have never known a year like 2009 - big government strategies on dementia and learning disabilities; the creation of a new inspectorate; personalisation rumbling on; the green paper; the Personal Care at Home Bill.

Today's a pretty big day for disability, globally and nationally.

It's the United Nations' International Day of People with Disabilities, which is designed to highlight the needs of disabled people worldwide and promote equality.

And off the back of this public bodies and charities have issued a number of statements and reports offering their different perspectives on the state of play on disability in the UK.

There's an interesting story in the Guardian today about an Oxfam report claiming that employment agencies are exploiting migrant care workers.

This includes having to work excessive hours, with no holiday or sick pay, and being on call for no extra pay.

The charity wants agencies in the care sector to be regulated by the Gangmasters Licensing Authority, which currently covers agencies supplying migrant workers to agriculture and related industries.

Good news from the Care Quality Commission. The delay to the annual performance assessment of council adult social care departments (see my blog yesterday) will only be one day. So it's well worth ignoring my doom-laden conclusions! Apologies CQC.

Look out for our story on the APA - and other publications from the CQC - on Thursday.